5.1 Independence
In the film adaptation by Cary Fukunaga all of the three types of independence mentioned above in chapter 3 are included; therefore, the division of the aspects of independence is the same – material independence, intellectual independence and emotional independence.
5.1.1 Material independence
Material independence is emphasized adequately in the film adaptation.
There is a scene of Jane reaching complete material independence. When St John comes to tell Jane that she is an heiress of £20 000 Jane is shocked by the news. She thinks that “There must be some mistake.” (Fukunaga 2011) Jane reaches complete material independence because of this inheritance but at first she is not happy about it. St John tells her: “You look desperately miserable about it, I must say.” (Fukunaga 2011) Even in the novel Jane has a similar attitude to such news. “It is a fine thing, reader, to be lifted in a moment from indigence to wealth […] but not a matter one can comprehend, or consequently enjoy, […]
One does not jump, and spring, and shout hurrah! at hearing one has got a fortune; one begins to consider responsibilities, and to ponder business; […]” (Brontë, 1994, 378) The first thing Jane thinks about (in the film adaptation) is the debt she owes to St John and his sisters. She does not want to be in debt to anyone. Jane and St John do not talk about the fact that they are related but she wants to share the money with him and his sisters anyway because she is grateful they saved her life. “Mr St John, the debt I owe to you and your sisters.” (Fukunaga 2011) Jane wants to be materially independent but she does not need a huge amount of money to reach material independence. The fact that Jane is related to St John and his sisters is not mentioned in the film adaptation but it does not affect Jane reaching material independence.
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Intellectual independence is not as emphasized in the film adaptation as it is emphasized in the novel. In the film adaptation there is not included many scenes of Rochester and Jane having a serious conversation. That is the main reason why Jane does not give the spectator as strong impression of her intellectual independence as she does to the reader of the novel.
One of the scenes of the film adaptation showing Jane‟s intellectual independence is when Rochester tells Jane:
“Your gaze is very direct Miss Eyre. Do you think me handsome?”
Jane replies to him: “No, sir.”
He responds to her: “What fault do you find with me? I have all my limbs and features.”
And she answers: “I beg your pardon, sir. I ought to have replied that beauty is of little consequence.”
(Fukunaga 2011)
This conversation between Rochester and Jane shows that she is able to speak to Rochester on the same intellectual level. This scene in the film adaptation corresponds to the same scene in the novel.
Rochester tells Jane: “You examine me, Miss Eyre, said he: do you think me handsome?
She responds: No, sir.
He replies to her: “What do you mean by it?”
And she answers: “Sir, I was too plain; I beg your pardon. I ought to have replied that it was not easy to give an impromptu answer to a question about appearances; that tastes mostly differ; and that beauty is of little consequence, or something of that sort.”
(Brontë, 1994, 132)
Both scenes give the same impression because both of them show that Jane is intellectually independent, but there are many scenes showing Jane‟s intellectual independence that are missing in the film adaptation - for instance the scene where Jane seeks a book to read in
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Thornfield. Therefore the whole presentation of Jane‟s intellectual independence is smaller than the impression of it in the novel.
5.1.3 Emotional independence
The film adaptation emphasizes emotional independence more than the novel. The spectators who are familiar with the original novel can have a stronger impression of Jane‟s emotional independence than those who are unfamiliar with the novel.
In the novel there is a whole chapter dedicated to Jane‟s wandering which corresponds with the sufficient time dedicated to Jane‟s emotional independence in the film adaptation.
However the film adaptation starts with the scene of Jane leaving Thornfield which can be confusing for the spectators who did not read the novel first, and therefore do not know that Jane is leaving because she wants to reach emotional independence, but it has a strong impact on the spectators who read the original novel because the scene of Jane leaving Thornfield is extensively emphasized because it is in the beginning of the film adaptation.
5.2 Self-respect
Self-respect is emphasized less in the film adaptation than in the novel.
The scene of Jane showing her self-respect is a scene of Jane and Rochester after their wedding is interrupted. Rochester begs Jane to stay with him but she resists. Jane tells him:
“All is changed sir, I must leave you.” (Fukunaga 2011) She does it out of her self-respect.
Later, when Rochester asks her: “Who would you offend by living with me? Who would care?” (Fukunaga 2011) Jane replies: “I would.” (Fukunaga 2011) She rejects him once again:
“I must respect myself.” (Fukunaga 2011) This is a crucial moment because Jane chooses to be without the love of her life but respecting herself rather than stay with the love of her life and without self-respect. She would be unhappy as Rochester‟s mistress. She would be dependent on him which is something she cannot let happen. Therefore she stands up and leaves the room even though it tears her heart to shreds. Her self-respect does not leave her even in the moment of the biggest temptation.
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In the novel there are a few scenes of Jane and Rochester in the time between their engagement and their wedding where Jane shows her self-respect as well. In these scenes it becomes apparent that Rochester does not treat Jane with as much respect as he used to treat her before the engagement. There is a tension between them. But in the film adaptation there is only one scene of them talking before the engagement and no tension is recognized in it.
Jane is waiting for Rochester because she wants to talk to him. She frowns while saying:
“Everything seems so unreal” (Fukunaga 2011) Rochester replies: “I am real enough.”
(Fukunaga 2011) but Jane says: “You, sir, are most phantom-like of all.” (Fukunaga 2011) Jane seems like she does not believe the reality and she does not look happy. But nowhere is it shown that Rochester does not respect Jane in the same way he did before their engagement.
There are a few more scenes of Jane and Rochester before the wedding but they are not talking in them. For instance there is a scene of Jane drawing a portrait of Rochester in the garden. This time they are smiling and they seem happy which might have been the filmmakers‟ intention to give the romantic impression to the spectators.
5.3 Rebellion
Rebellion is emphasized less in the film adaptation than in the original novel.
The scene of Rochester being mean to Adèle is present in the film adaptation but Jane does not say anything. She looks like she does not like the way he treats her but she does not defend her. The scene of Jane defending herself against John Reed in Gateshead is present though. Jane‟s rebellion is emphasized enough in this scene but not in the scene with Adèle and Rochester. Therefore the overall impression of Jane‟s rebellion is not as strong as it is in the novel.
5.3.1 Desire for justice
Desire for justice is emphasized less in the film adaptation than in the novel.
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The film adaptation does not emphasize the development of Jane‟s desire for justice. There is no scene of her classmate Julia Severn and Mr Brocklehurst who unjustly cuts Julia‟s hair.
This event does not happen in the film adaptation therefore Jane does not feel injustice done to her classmate.
5.4 Passion
Passion is emphasized more in the film adaptation than in the novel.
The scene that is emphasized in the film adaptation but not in the novel is the scene of Jane looking out the window and thinking about gender differences. In the film adaptation Jane shares her thoughts with Mrs Fairfax: “I wish a woman could have action in her life, like a man. It agitates me that the skyline over there is ever our limit. […] I‟ve never seen a city.
I‟ve never spoken with men and I fear my whole life will pass...” (Fukunaga 2011) In the novel Jane “longed for a power of vision which might overpass that limit; which might reach the busy world, towns, regions full of life I (she) had heard of but never seen […]” (Brontë, 1994, 110) Her thoughts in the novel are similar to her thoughts in the film adaptation but she does not think about speaking with men. The fact that she mentions this in the film adaptation gives it a more passionate impression. Moreover Jane meets Rochester the same evening when she goes to post some letters at the post office nearby. In the novel she does not meet him the same evening but a few months later which does not give as urgent impression as the film adaptation but does give an aspect of romance to the film adaptation. In addition to that the filmmakers had to remake the scene of Jane thinking about the things she wishes she could do as a woman. Her thoughts cannot be filmed therefore the whole scene has to be re-vised.
The scene that includes a lot of emotions and passion is the scene in which Rochester comes back from his “inspection” after Jane saves him from his burning bed. Rochester touches Jane‟s hand while saying “I have a pleasure of having you in my life.” (Fukunaga 2011) In the novel he says “I have a pleasure in owing you so immense a debt.” (Brontë, 1994, 152) which has a slightly different meaning. He seems calmer in the novel than in the film adaptation. In the novel he tells Jane to “return to her own room” (Brontë, 1994, 151) but
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he does not say anything like this in the film adaptation. When Jane is leaving he tells her “Is that how you would leave me?” (Fukunaga 2011) Their heads are getting closer and closer and it seems they will kiss, but in the novel nothing is written about their heads approaching.
The filmmakers played with this scene a little. The result is that it makes a more romantic impression.
The scene that takes place in the field concerns Jane‟s passion as well. Jane and St John meet halfway of the path. Jane tells St John that she “will go with him to India if she may go free,” (Fukunaga 2011) but he does not want that because he cannot take “to India a girl of nineteen unless she is his wife” (Fukunaga 2011). He gets angry and forces Jane to say the name of the one she loves. In this very moment Jane starts hearing Rochester‟s voice. She hears him calling her name: “Jane, Jane!” (Fukunaga 2011) St John does not understand why she still loves him. “Why have you not yet crushed this lawless passion? [emphasis added]”
(Fukunaga 2011) But Jane does not perceive what St John says anymore. She just
telepathically hears Rochester calling her name because her love for him is very strong. In the film adaptation there is a cut of this shot right after Rochester‟s calling. It seems that Jane left Marsh End immediately after his calling. The following scene is a scene of Jane being in a carriage while travelling to Thornfield. The filmmakers wanted to give the impression of a stronger passion between Rochester and Jane that is why they gave the impression that Jane leaves Marsh End right after hearing Rochester‟s calling. In the novel she waits for the daylight to leave for Thornfield.
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